Machine for circumferential color coding

ABSTRACT

A machine for color coding moving strands which includes plural inkers each having plural inking areas arranged on a circular path on an inker, and having means driven by pulling on the strand for rotating the inkers, each inker being provided with a stationary ink supply into which the inking areas dip and the strand normally moving in a path slightly dispersed from the inking areas, means for actuating the strand into contact with the inking areas, the latter means comprising moving teeth which are synchronized with movement of the many areas and are so located that they never contact an inked area of the strand during passage of the strand through the machine.

O United States Patent n 13,570,450

[72] Inventor Chester 1,488,297 3/1924 Thoma er 11s w&c R 1102 E. JoppaRoad, Towson, Md- 21204 2,186,555 1/1940 Phillips log/2% pp 883,8732,644,423 7/1953 Bauer.... (1 l8/W&C(Strip)]) [22] Filed De ,7 23,043,721 7/1962 Burns 118/221X nlvlswnofser-Flo-7824025399919683,093,052 6/1963 Burner et al. us/223x Pat. No. 3,509,850, which is adivision of FOREIGN PATENTS Ser. No. 579,026, Sept. 13, 1966, Pat. No.3,434,456 371,264 l/l907 France 118/224 .4 Patented 'lfi 7 PrimaryExaminer-Morris Kaplan Azt0rneyl-lurvitz, Rose & Greene [54] MACHINE FORCIRCUMFERENTIAL COLOR 15 Drawing Figs AB STRACT: A machine for colorcoding moving strands which includes plural mkers each having pluralinking areas [52] U.S.Cl. t 118/221 arranged on a circular path on anink, and having means B05: 1/14 driven by pulling on the strand forrotating the inkers, each [50] Field ofSearch 118/W8LC inker beingprovided with a stationary ink Supply into which W&C (SHIP), 222, 225,the inking areas dip and the strand normally moving in a path 246slightly dispersed from the inking areas, means for actuating the strandinto contact with the inking areas, the latter means [56] ReferencesCited comprising moving teeth which are synchronized with move- UNITEDSTATES PATENTS ment of the many areas and are so located that they neverconl,078,176 11/1913 Steele 118/ 122x met an inked area of the strandduring passage of the strand 1,350,789 8/1920 Delany et a1 118/246through the machine.

Patented March 16, 1971 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 uvlllllg Ill/l a CHESTER J.GE-ATING ATTORNEYS Patented March 16, 1971 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 mvsmoxCHESTER J. SEATING Patentczd March 16, 1971 C H ESTER J. GEATE M5 5Sheets-Sheet &

- ATTORNEYS MACHINE FOR CmCUMFERENTIAL CULOIR CODING CROSS REFERENCEThis application is a division of my application Ser. No. 782,025, filedDec. 9, 1968, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,509,850, issued May 5, 1970, which wasin turn a division of application 035607615 Ser. No. 579,026, filedSept. 13, 1966, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,434,456, issued Mar. 25, 1969.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to anapparatus for applying indicia to a moving length of material such aswire, bar or sheet stock, tape and the like and more particularlyrelates to a machine for applying circumferential color-coded bands toan indeterminate length of insulated wire for identification purposes.

There has long been a need for marking electrical wire in order that itmay be identified as to wire number, type, size, voltage and otherqualities and also as to origin. It is important that the marking appearat frequent but fixed intervals throughout the length of the wire sothat the marking may be seen even though short lengths only are visibleor accessible.

It is therefore an important object of the present invention to providean improved apparatus for high speed color coding of a continuous lengthof wire by applying spaced bands of "color to the wire, and means forvarying the application of said bands at the wish of the operator.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide an apparatus ofthe character described which generally includes a plurality of markingdevices for applying a complete band to the wire, or the like, at highspeed.

When wire is pulled through a coding machine at high speed, and it isrequired that marking of the wire occur in clean 360 stripes, spatteringof the ink presents a serious problem. My prior application, hereinabovereferred to, provides an effective coding machine for wire, or the like,which is capable of operating at medium speed without spattering ink,but as speed is increased the problem becomes severe, because the ink ismaintained on separable marking fingers which rotate about a fairlylarge axis at the speed of the wire. The'problem is solved according tothe present invention by enclosing the ink in a rotating cylinder, theinterior communicating with the circumference via a marking pad. Thecylinder rotates so that the marking pad has the same linear velocity asthe wire. Ink is completely enclosed and cannot spatter, but centrifugalforce provides pressure for forcing the ink through the marking pad, solong as some ink remains in the cylinder.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A rotating hollow inking cylinder containing asupply of ink and having one or more inking pads communicating betweenthe inside andoutside of the cylinder, so that ink is forced out bycentrifugal force.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view of oneembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged detail view of one of the marking devices in onemarking position taken on the line 6-6 of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a similar view in a second marking position taken on the line7-7 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a modified form of marking device;

FIG. 9 is a partial sectional view showing the manner of operation ofthe modified marking device shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken on the line 10-10 of FIG.

FIG. II is a partial perspective view of a modified form of markingdevice of the type shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 12 is a front view of a modification of the apparatus shown in FIG.1;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged detail view of a section of the apparatus of FIG.13, taken on the line 13-13 of said figure;

FIG. 14 is a sectional view taken on the line 14-14 of FIG. 12; and

FIG. I5 is an enlarged perspective view of one form of marking device tobe used in the modified form shown in FIGS. 1 or 12.

Referring in detail to the form of apparatus shown in FIGS. 1-7 whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, numeral15 designates the casing comprising a base member 16 having upstandingwalls 17 and 18 forming the front and rear of the housing for the geararrangement and a removable U-shaped cover member 19 suitably secured tosaid front and rear walls to permit access to the interior of thehousing. The machine shown in FIGS. 1-7 illustrates a twosided machinewhich can be used for marking two lengths of wire with the same ordifferentinfonnation. Since the operating and marking devices for bothsides are the same, only one side will be described.

The base member extends beyond the front and rear walls and provides aledge upon which a plurality of inking reservoirs 20 are supported.Although any number of marking pens may be provided, the present machineillustrates the use of four sets of pens and since each set requires itsown ink reservoir, four reservoirs 20 are shown.

The four sets of marking pens are indicated generally by numerals 21,22, 23 and 24 and consists of hubs 25 to which the individual pens aresecured, said hubs being mounted on each end of the shafts 26 whichextend through the housing 15, with the ends of the shafts extendingbeyond the front and rear walls of the housing. Gears 27 are secured tothe central portions of the shafts 26 within the housing for a purposeto be described.

The form of pen employed in FIGS. 1 through 7, and shown in detail inFIGS. 6 and 7, consists of a pair of cooperating fingers 28, 29 formedof spring metal, plastic or the like, the lower ends of said fingersbeing welded or otherwise joined to opposite edges of the hub 25. Thefinger 28 is formed with a V-shaped bend having the legs 30 and 31diverging from point 32. The finger 29 is similarly provided with aV-shaped bend having legs 33 and 34 diverging from point 35 in adirection opposite from the direction of legs 30 and 31. The two points32 and 35 are normally in contact with each other and retain ink attheir touching point for application to the wire being marked in amanner which will appear as the description proceeds. The ink, which isindicated by numeral 36, is stored in the reservoirs 20 and is picked upby the pens each time the hub rotates and carries the pens through thereservoir. The

several sets of pens indicated by numerals 21, 22, 23 and 24 areconstructed in the same manner as described in FIGS. 6 and 7 and bearthe same reference numerals.

As shown in FIG. I, the marking pens 21 and 24 comprise two sets ofcooperating fingers disposed apart and each complete revolution of thehub 25 upon which the two sets of fingers are mounted will make twocomplete 360 bands around the circumference of the wire 37 being coded.As the wire first approaches the marking wheel, see FIGS. 4 and 6, thewire contacts the converging legs 31, 34 and applies a halfcircumferential band to the lower half of the wire. Continued rotationof the wheel causes the wire to separate the spring fingers and contactthe under side of the converging legs 30, 33 as shown in FIG. 7, therebyapplying the upper half of the wire with ink to complete the upper halfof the band as required with both halves completing the 360 band to thewire, as indicated in FIG. 7. Continued movement of the wire separatesthe wire from the particular set of pens and advances the wire for thenext application of a band.

Again referring to FIG. 1, the marking pens 22 and 23, are provided withfour sets of cooperating fingers disposed 90 apart and each completerevolution of marking pens 22 and 23 will apply four complete bandsaround the wire 37. The various hubs on which the pen sets are mountedcan be positioned on their respective shafts to vary the distancebetween adjacent bands to produce a large number of differentcombinations. It will be apparent that difierent colored inks may bestored in each of the reservoirs 20, thereby further increasing thenumber of band combinations.

A novel drive and guide mechanism for the various operating parts willnow be described. The wire 37 is drawn from a stock wheel (not shown)through the printing apparatus by a driven takeup reel (not shown). Thewire 37 is wrapped around the wheels 38 and 39 mounted at each end ofthe marking machine. Either or both of the wheels may be drive wheels asshown or wheel 39 may be free wheeling or a change of direction wheel.The drive wheel 38, and there are two shown on each side of the machine,is mounted on the shaft 40, which in turn carries a gear 41 which mesheswith a gear 42 carried by a shaft 43 on which guide wheel 44 is mounted.Guide wheel 44 is geared to gear 27 carried by shaft 26 on marking pen21 and shaft 26 is geared to a second guide wheel 45. Guide wheel 45 isgeared to marking pen 22 which in turn is geared to a third guide wheel46. The third guide wheel 46 is geared to marking pen 23 which in turnis geared to a fourth guide wheel 47. The fourth guide wheel 47 isgeared to marking pen 24 which in turn is geared to a fifth guide wheel48. Thus, it will be seen that as the wire is pulled through themachine, it serves as the drive means for the train of gears causingsimultaneous rotation of each of the guide wheels and marking penspreviously described.

Each of the guide wheels is provided with a groove 49 for guiding thewire past the marking pens and preventing lateral shifting of the wireduring its movement. Numeral 50 designates a guide wheel similar toguide wheel 44 and both of these guide wheels are solid guide andpressure wheels which support the wire as the fingers or pens come incontact with the bottom of the wire. The guide wheels 45, 46, 47 and 48are notched at points 51, said notches being arranged to clear themarking that may be wet or not set sufficiently to stand the contactwith a solid guide wheel.

The apparatus thus far described discloses a set of separate reservoirsfor each of the marking wheels which carries the marking fingers orpens, said wheels applying the circumferential coding bands by a singleset of pens which apply one half band at a time. FIGS. 8, 9 and show amodified form of marking arrangement wherein each marking device has aselfcontained reservoir thereby eliminating the need for separatereservoirs such as 20. The marking wheel shown in this form of theinvention, generally indicated by numeral 52, comprises a cylindricalhousing 53 and cover plate 54. The cover plate is provided with a shaft55 for rotatably supporting the wheel 52. A threaded bolt 56 having aknurled cap extends through the housing 53 and cover plate 54 forfastening the housing to the cover plate. The housing can be filled withink or the like by removing filler plug 57.

One or more slots 58 are formed in the periphery of the wheel andreceive a marking pad 59 made from felt, rubber, plastic or the likewhich can be wetted by the inking material 60 within the housing andtransferred to the wire 61 which is to be marked. The outer transverseedge of each of the marking pads is formed with a V-cutout 62 and thetwo cutout portions 62 plus the inherent resiliency of the pads willcooperate to circumscribe a band around the wire 61 as it is being drawnthrough the apparatus. The wheels 52 have portions 63 removed therefromadjacent the marking pads to prevent smearing of the marking material asit is being applied. The periphery of each of the wheels is alsoprovided with a groove 64 to properly guide the wire through theapparatus.

With this type of marking wheel, upper and lower wheels are used to markcompletely around the wire. If it is desired to mark only part wayaround the wire, either top or bottom wheel can be used. It will beunderstood that the gearing arrangement used in this form of theinvention will be modified to provide for intermediate idler gearswhereby the marking wheels will rotate in the same direction. It isunderstood that a plurality of wheels are provided and may be arrangedwith respect to each other to provide various spacings of the codedbands. The wheel housings may be of any desired size and are arranged tobe readily removable and replaced with different sized wheels whendesired.

FIG. 11 discloses a slight modification of the marking wheel shown inFIG. 8 and differs therefrom in substituting openings 65 for the slots58. This type of marking wheel is used when it is desired to apply dotsto the wire, or the like. Small pads can be used in the openings 65 butthese can be dispensed with by using a slightly more viscous markingmaterial.

FIGS. 12 through 14 disclose a modified form of printing apparatuswherein the wire to be marked is drawn through the printing apparatus ina vertical direction. For purpose of illustration, only a single wire isshown but it will be clear that similar printing and guiding mechanismcan be provided on both sides of the casing 66. The casing 66 issubstantially rectangular in shape and includes a front 67 on which thefour inking reservoirs 68, 69, 70 and 71 are rigidly supported. Inkingrollers or applicators 72 are rotatably supported on the casing wall andtransfer the ink or other suitable marking material to the marking penswhich in turn transfer said material to the wire 73 to be coded. Theinking rollers may be formed of felt, rubber, fiber, metal, or the like,or may have a covering layer formed of felt, rubber or the like.

The inking pens illustrated in this form of the invention and shown indetail in FIG. 15 are similar in construction to the inking pensillustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 and consists of cooperating fingers 74 and75. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the pens are fastened to the hub 25. Inthe present modification, the pens may be similarly secured to the hub76 but as disclosed the pens are detachably secured to the hubs in orderthat the number of pens mounted on each hub can be varied. Each of thehubs 76 is provided with twelve openings 77 circumferentially spacedadjacent the periphery of the hub, said openings cooperating withopenings 78 formed in the fingers 74 and 75 to receive a threaded bolt79 and nut 80 to lock the fingers to the hub. Raised nibs 81 areprovided on each surface of the hub and are adapted to extend throughopenings 82 provided in each pen finger to prevent twisting of the pensduring operation. As shown in FIG. 12, the lower hub 76 has twelve pensmounted thereon, the upper hub has four pens mounted thereon whereas theintermediate hubs have six pens mounted thereon. Each of the hubs 76 isrigidly mounted on a shaft 83 extending through the front and rear wallsof the casing and suitably secured thereto for rotation. The hubs 76 arereadily detachable from the shaft 83 whereby different hubs may be used,means are provided to insure proper positioning of the hubs on the shaftmounting and consists of an opening 77' provided in each hub to receivea pin 77 Also mounted on each shaft 83 is a gear 84 which cooperateswith intermediate gears 85 whereby the hubs 76 turn in the samedirection when being actuated. The means for rotating the hubs 76 issimilar to the means for rotating the hubs 25 as previously described.Thus, the upper end of wire 73 is wound around a driven takeup reel (notshown) whereas the lower end of the wire is drawn from a stock wheel(not shown). The wire is wound around a drive wheel 86, secured to shaft87 which is rotatably supported by the front and rear walls of thecasing and a gear 88 is mounted on said shaft to rotate therewith. Thegear 88 meshes with one of the intermediate gears 85 to provide rotationof the first marking wheel in the same direction of the travelling wire73.

The wheel 86 functions and operates in the same manner as drive wheel 37previously described but differs from wheel 37 in providing adjustmentof wheel 86 for accommodating wires of different diameters. This isaccomplished by making wheel 86 in two parts with part 89 having athreaded post 90 extending therefrom and part 91 threaded on said postand held in various adjusted positions by means of nut 92. The peripheryof each of the parts 89 and 90 are beveled in a direction towards eachother whereby a V-shaped groove is provided when the two parts areassembled as clearly shown in FIG. 14. A V-shaped belt 94 formed ofrubber, or the like, is received in groove 93 and can expand in diameterwhen the two wheel parts are brought closer together.

In this form of the invention, the guide wheels 44, 45, 46, 47 and 48are replaced by an endless belt 95, the inner surface of which isprovided with teeth 96 for meshing with teeth 97 formed on pulleys. 98and 99. The pulley 98 is supported on a bar 100 which in turn isadjustably secured to the casing 66 and adjustment means 101 is providedto increase the tension on the endless belt. Intermediate supportrollers 102 are mounted on the bar 100 to provide a substantial rigidsupport for the wire as it is being marked. The outer surface of theendless belt is provided along its length with transverse ridges 103,said ridges being closely spaced but far enough apart from each other topermit the marking pens to mark the wire between adjacent ridges asshown in FIG. 15. The space between the ridges 103 serves the samepurpose as the notches 51 in FIG. 1. The pulley 99 is suitably geared tothe internal gearing which is driven by the drive wheel 86 which in turnrotates the marking pens and the endless belt 95.

The modified form shown in FIG. 12 through 15 is constructed so thatwire being coded is .run vertically. However, by rearranging theposition of the inking reservoirs the machine can be arrangedhorizontally with the wire moving in ahorizontal position.

While several embodiments of the present invention have been shown anddescribed, it will be readily apparent that minor changes may be made inthedetails of construction without departing from the spirit of theinvention as defined in the appended claims.

For example, in FIG. 15, as shown, a pair of fingers 74 and 75 are shownattached to hub 76 by means of screws or the like. If desired thefingers can be formed as a single member joined by a U-sgaped portionwhich can be inserted in transverse slots formed around the periphery ofthe hub 76 and secured in place by anchoring means. A further form ofattachment could be by merely taking the single member and detachablysecuring the same to the outer periphery of the hub by screws or thelike.

Iclaim:

1. An inking device for markingbands about a moving strand, comprising apulley,

a plurality of spaced inking stations located in series along saidstrand, each of said inking stations including a rotatable multiple unitinker, said units including discrete circumferentially separated markingdevices for each multiple unit inker located on a common circumferenceat angular separations along said common circumference,

a separate stationary open ink well at each of said plurality of inkingstations located so that the marking devices of each inker dipindividually into the ink well at an inking station in sequence as saidinker rotates,

a separate spindle to which each multiple unit inker is secured forrotation with said spindle,

a drive pulley about which said strand is wrapped in approximately a 360wrapping so arranged and dimensioned in diameter that pulling on saidstrand downstream of said drive pulley rotates said pulley at the samelinear circumferential velocity as said strand,

toothed means devoid of slippage for driving all said spindies from saiddrive pulley at such speeds that said marking devices all move linearlyprecisely at the linear velocity of said strand,

a first rotary guide having a plurality of radially extending discreteguide surfaces spaced about the periphery of said first rotary guide asecond rotary gu1de having a plurality of radially extending discreteguide surfaces spaced about the periphery of said second rotary guide,

means including a toothed coupling between said drive pulley and saidrotary guides for rotating said rotary guides so that said guidesurfaces have the same linear velocities as said strand and are insynchronized angular relationship with said inking devices,

means positioning said first and second rotary guides respectivelydownstream and upstream of said inking units, said strand normally beingarranged to move in a path removed from full contact with said inkers,said positioning means locating said rotary guides being so arrangedthat said guide surfaces each intermittently engages a portion of saidmoving strand and effects movement thereof into sufficiently fullcontact with the respective inking devices to assure 360 marks on saidstrand.

2. An inking device for marking bands about a moving strand, comprising1 a pulley,

a series of inking stations located in series along said strand, each ofsaid inking stations including a rotatable multiple unit inker, saidunits having discrete marking areas for each multiple unit inker locatedon a common circumference at angular separations about said commoncircumference, said strand normally being arranged to move in a pathremoved from full contact with said inkers,

a separate stationary open ink well at each of said stations located sothat the marking areas dip individually into the ink well at theirinking station in sequence as said inker rotates,

a separate spindle to which each multiple unit inker is secured forrotation with said spindle,

a drive pulley about which said strand is wrapped in approximately a 360wrapping, whereby pulling on said strand downstream of said drive pulleyrotates said pulley at the same linear circumferential velocity as saidstrand,

toothed means substantially devoid of slippage for driving all saidspindles from said drive pulley at such speeds that said marking areasall move linearly substantially precisely at the linear velocity of saidstrand,

movable guide means having plural discrete guide surfaces for said wire,said guide surfaces being toothed and the teeth being so spaced andtheir movements being so synchronized with movements of said inkers thatan inked portion of said wire is never contacted by any tooth duringpassage of said strand through and beyond said inking device,

means including a toothed coupling between said drive pulley and saidmovable guide means designed to assure that said guide surfaces alwaysmove at the same linear velocity as said strand,

said guide surfaces subsisting at least in part downstream of saidinking units and said guide surfaces being located to force said strandin a path in approximate alignment with said inking surfaces duringtransfer of ink from said inking surfaces to said strand, but releasingsaid strand from that path at other times,

said approximate alignment including sufficient misalignment of saidguide surfaces with respect to said inking surfaces as to force the lineof said strand below the line of said inking surfaces only during inkingsuch that said strand is always forcibly pressed by one of said guidesurfaces against each inking surface while said strand is in contactwith that inking surface sufiiciently to assure a full 360 mark on thestrand, said guide means including a rotary component located downstreamof the last of said inking stations capable of enabling change ofdirection of said strand after said strand leaves said inking device.

1. An inking device for marking bands about a moving strand, comprisinga pulley, a plurality of spaced inking stations located in series alongsaid strand, each of said inking stations including a rotatable multipleunit inker, said units including discrete circumferentially separatedmarking devices for each multiple unit inker located on a commoncircumference at angular separations along said common circumference, aseparate stationary open ink well at each of said plurality of inkingstations located so that the marking devices of each inker dipindividually into the ink well at an inking station in sequence as saidinker rotates, a separate spindle to which each multiple unit inker issecured for rotation with said spindle, a drive pulley about which saidstrand is wrapped in approximately a 360* wrapping so arranged anddimensioned in diameter that pulling on said strand downstream of saiddrive pulley rotates said pulley at the same linear circumferentialvelocity as said strand, toothed means devoid of slippage for drivingall said spindles from said drive pulley at such speeds that saidmarking devices all move linearly precisely at the linear velocity ofsaid strand, a first rotary guide having a plurality of radiallyextending discrete guide surfaces spaced about the periphery of saidfirst rotary guide, a second rotary guide having a plurality of radiallyextending discrete guide surfaces spaced about the periphery of saidsecond rotary guide, means including a toothed coupling between saiddrive pulley and said rotary guides for rotating said rotary guides sothat said guide surfaces have the same linear velocities as said strandand are in synchronized angular relationship with said inking devices,means positioning said first and second rotary guides respectivelydownstream and upstream of said inking units, said strand normally beingarranged to move in a path removed from full contact with said inkers,said positioning means locating said rotary guides being so arrangedthat said guide surfaces each intermittently engages a portion of saidmoving strand and effects movement thereof into sufficiently fullcontact with the respective inking devices to assure 360* marks on saidstrand.
 2. An inking device for marking bands about a moving strand,comprising a pulley, a series of inking stations located in series alongsaid strand, each of said inking stations including a rotatable multipleunit inker, said units having discrete marking areas for each multipleunit inker located on a common circumference at angular separationsabout said common circumference, said strand normally being arranged tomove in a path removed from full contact with said inkers, a separatestationary open ink well at each of said stations located so that themarking areas dip individually into the ink well at their inking stationin sequence as said inker rotates, a separate spindle to which eachmultiple unit inker is secured for rotation with said spindle, a drivepulley about which said strand is wrapped in approximately a 360*wrapping, whereby pulling on said strand downstream of said drive pulleyrotates said pulley at the same linear circumferential velocity as saidstrand, toothed means substantially devoid of slippage for driving allsaid spindles from said drive pulley at such speeds that said markingareas all move linearly substantially precisely at the linear velocityof said strand, movable guide means having plural discrEte guidesurfaces for said wire, said guide surfaces being toothed and the teethbeing so spaced and their movements being so synchronized with movementsof said inkers that an inked portion of said wire is never contacted byany tooth during passage of said strand through and beyond said inkingdevice, means including a toothed coupling between said drive pulley andsaid movable guide means designed to assure that said guide surfacesalways move at the same linear velocity as said strand, said guidesurfaces subsisting at least in part downstream of said inking units andsaid guide surfaces being located to force said strand in a path inapproximate alignment with said inking surfaces during transfer of inkfrom said inking surfaces to said strand, but releasing said strand fromthat path at other times, said approximate alignment includingsufficient misalignment of said guide surfaces with respect to saidinking surfaces as to force the line of said strand below the line ofsaid inking surfaces only during inking such that said strand is alwaysforcibly pressed by one of said guide surfaces against each inkingsurface while said strand is in contact with that inking surfacesufficiently to assure a full 360* mark on the strand, said guide meansincluding a rotary component located downstream of the last of saidinking stations capable of enabling change of direction of said strandafter said strand leaves said inking device.